


One For The Photo Album

by BuckinghamAlice



Series: Spending Holidays with the SuperBats [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Daddy's little jelly bean, Domestic, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:13:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1022905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckinghamAlice/pseuds/BuckinghamAlice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick wants to take Damian and Colin trick-or-treating, but Bruce isn't okay with that for various reasons.  Meanwhile, Clark discovers one of his husband's little secrets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One For The Photo Album

“Trick-or-treating is more than just something to do once a year,” Dick began, tossing Damian and Colin Tootsie Pops from the bowl Alfred had set out on the table. The candy, of course, was there for the younger boys to eat while watching their monster movie marathon. But when Dick had come over, he told the boys that they’d have more fun watching _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Damian had decided he wasn’t interested… it seemed like a movie for Christmas, after all. Dick had been singing along with all the songs, but the younger boys had successfully distracted him with a discussion of trick-or-treating.

“It’s actually kind of like a skill,” Dick went on chewing a handful of Skittles. “You have to know which houses to hit and when. It isn’t just begging for candy. One year, I scored so much, I had to use two pillowcases to bring it all home. Two!”

“Wow,” Colin said. “I wish I could go with you!”

Dick smiled. “Oh, I don’t go trick-or-treating anymore. But hey! Maybe I could take you two! Dami, do you think your dad would go for that?”

Damian snorted. “I’m not a child, Grayson. I don’t need my father’s permission.”

“If you say so,” the elder brother said, smirking at the youngest. “But we’re still going to clear it with him.”

“If that makes you feel better,” Damian said, sticking his Tootsie Pop in his mouth.

********************

“Absolutely not,” Batman insisted. “It’s out of the question. Halloween is one of the busiest nights of the year for us. Every lunatic in town will be out. I’ll need you, Robin.”

Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Superman were standing in the Batcave, Batman before his computer and Superman leaning against edge of the console. Nightwing had come to ask permission to take his youngest brother trick-or-treating, but it had not gone as planned. Robin was now pouting, arms crossed and face contorted.

“Oh, come on, Bruce” Nightwing said. “Let the kid be a kid for once. You know he’s been looking forward to this. And I promised him a big candy haul.”

“He can buy as much candy as he wants and eat it in moderation,” Batman reasoned.

Superman cleared his throat. “You know, I don’t think it’s just about the candy. It’s the experience.”

“Yes!” Nightwing exclaimed. “Thank you, Clark! He needs to do something fun. What if I promised to have him back early enough for patrol with you?”

“It’s still out of the question,” Batman said. Then, with a pointed look in the direction of his husband and partner, “And I’ll thank you to stay out of this.”

“Oh, come now, _dear_ ,” Superman said, purposely using one his least favorite pet names to annoy him. “You should know by now that I’m going to give you my opinion whether you want it or not.”

Batman grunted. “Believe me, I know. Doesn’t make it any less annoying or any more helpful.”

Nightwing sighed loudly. “You know what? I’ll leave you two to your little domestic squabble. I’m going on my patrol… and I think I’ll take the kid with me… if I’m still allowed to do that, that is.”

***************************

When Clark came to bed that night, Bruce had already retired for the evening. He was sitting up in bed, looking at something that he quickly stashed beneath the pillow when he saw Clark.

The taller man raised an eyebrow at his partner but said nothing as he quickly changed into his flannel pajamas and climbed into bed with the brooding man. Silently, he took off his glasses and set them on the nightstand and then turned off the lamp.

“I suppose you’re annoyed with me about this Halloween thing as well,” Bruce commented.

Clark turned the light back on and smiled softly at the man he loved. “Why should I be annoyed?”

“I know you think I’m overreacting,” Bruce answered. “But Halloween is always chaotic. I can’t afford not to have Robin on patrol with me. I was going to get the others to go out early as well.”

Clark nodded. “I understand that. But you know, Dick _did_ say he would have Damian home early.”

“He’ll have a sugar crash in the middle of the night,” Bruce reasoned. “You know that children can never restrain themselves when they’ve got a bag full of candy. You remember how Dick was, don’t you? No good to me or anyone else for half of November, he was so stuffed with sugar.”

Clark laughed. “I do remember. God, those were good times.”

“Rose colored glasses,” Bruce said, shaking his head.

“Not at all,” Clark said. “I recall all the shitty times as well.” He turned to Bruce and gently ran his hand along the smaller man’s cheek and smiled softly when Bruce placed his hand on Clark’s.

“A lot of terrible things happen on Halloween,” Bruce said softly. “Children get hurt or kidnapped… pranked. It’s… dangerous. I don’t want him out there.”

“Oh my God,” Clark said with a grin.

“What?” Bruce demanded.

“This isn’t about needing him on patrol… this is about you being overprotective,” Clark said. “You just… you love your little jelly bean so much that you’re worried about something happening to him!”

Bruce scowled and yanked his hand away from Clark. “I am not overprotective! And don’t call him my _jelly bean_. He would hate that. _I_ hate that.”

“This is adorable,” Clark said with a grin.

“I am _not_ adorable, either,” Bruce grunted.

“Of course not,” Clark replied seriously, trying to hide his smile. Then, while Bruce was scowling at him, he reached under the pillow quickly and grabbed the thing he had hidden there. “What’s this? And why did you hide it from me?”

Bruce blushed very red and tried to snatch it back. “That’s… nothing…”

But Clark held the object out of his reach and smiled at it. “This is a photo album! I had no idea you were so sentimental.”

“You give that back to me right now or I’ll have Alfred grate a little kryptonite over one of your meals tomorrow, only you won’t know which one,” Bruce threatened.

“Right, I’ll be on the lookout for that,” Clark said, flipping the album open. The first page had pictures of Dick dressed as Peter Pan for Halloween when he was ten. Next to that was a picture of him with Bruce, who had been coerced into dressing as Captain Hook, and Clark, who was dressed as a cowboy. “This was our first Halloween together,” Clark reminisced.

“Yes, and it was also the year that the Scarecrow injected his fear toxin into several hundred boxes of Milky Way bars that were subsequently passed to children all over town,” Bruce replied. “Good memories, right?”

Clark closed the photo album and set it on the bedside table. “Bad things are bound to happen, but you can’t keep Damian from living because of it. He’s already missed out on so much of a normal childhood. Let him have this.” Bruce looked skeptical, so Clark went on, “How about if you and I go with Dick and the boys? That way you can see for yourself that they’re all safe.”

“Damian doesn’t want his father watching him,” Bruce said, shaking his head.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine with it,” Clark replied. “He mostly just wants to spend time with Dick… show his cool older brother off to Colin.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “I suppose you’ll want me to wear a costume.”

With a wry grin, Clark asked, “Do you still have that Captain Hook outfit?”

“You think I should wear that?” Bruce asked miserably.

“Well, sure,” Clark said. “But I meant you should wear it in bed. For me.”

“You’re a pervert,” Bruce said with a smirk.

Clark put his arms around the smaller man. “Yes, I am. And you love it.”

******************************

“You know, I’ve been thinking about this costume situation,” Clark announced over coffee in the morning. “And I made a list last night of some of the things we could do.”

“So that’s what you were doing on your laptop last night,” Bruce said.

“Sure,” Clark replied. “What did you think I was doing?”

Bruce shrugged. “Shopping. Composing an email. Watching porn.”

“With you right beside me?” Clark asked. “How could I pay attention to what was happening on the screen?”

Rolling his eyes, Bruce asked, “So, your list…?”

“Right. Okay, I have quite a few choices here… there’s sure to be something you’ll like,” Clark said. “First, I’ve got Spock and Kirk, but we did that before.”

“Right. The year that the Joker robbed a string of banks while the police were having their costume ball,” Bruce replied. “And heaven forbid we repeat a costume.”

“My point exactly,” Clark said. “We could do Disney princes… I was thinking I could be Phillip and you could be Eric.”

“Next,” Bruce said.

“Flash and Green Lantern.”

“Oh, they’d love that.”

“The Scarecrow and the Wicked Witch.”

“No.”

“Tweedle Dee and Tweedle…”

“Don’t even finish that thought.”

“Britney and Justin.”

“I don’t even know who those people are.”

“And _I’m_ the alien. J-Lo and P. Diddy.”

“Those names I know… so, no.”

“Buzz and Woody.”

“Maybe if we were in grade school.”

“A plug and a socket.”

“That’s vulgar.”

“Lock and key.”

“Also vulgar.”

“Hot cop and prisoner.”

“Tacky.”

“This is my favorite. Priest and pregnant nun.”

“…. I want a divorce.”

Bruce left the breakfast table and Clark laughed at his hollow threat. He went back to brainstorming ideas for costumes and Bruce went upstairs. He knocked at Damian’s bedroom door and waited several moments for the boy to answer.

“Father,” Damian said with a cordial nod.

“Son,” Bruce said. “May I come in? I’d like to talk to you about Halloween.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Damian said. “You’ve already said your part.”

Bruce nudged the child aside and came in the room anyways. “I’m here to tell you that I changed my mind. You may go trick-or-treating with Dick, and you can invite Colin.”

Damian raised an eyebrow and fought back a smile. “Why did you change your mind?”

With a sigh, he said, “You have Clark to thank for that.”

“Oh,” the boy replied. “I see.”

“We’re going to be going with you,” Bruce said. “In case anything comes up.”

"' _We_?’” Damian asked. “As in you and the alien?”

“Yes,” Bruce replied. “And don’t call him that anymore. You’re done being aggressive _and_ passive-aggressive with him.”

Damian scowled. “But, Father…”

“Don’t ‘but Father’ me, young man,” Bruce said. “Clark has been around for a long time now, and if we’re lucky, he’s going to continue to be around… from here on out. He’s your step-father now, and you can at least attempt to be civil.”

“I _am_ civil,” Damian replied. “You’d all be in pain if I wasn’t.” Bruce tweaked his cheek just to annoy him and he swatted at his father’s hand.

“So, what kind of costume do you want?” Bruce asked. “You can’t wear your Robin uniform, you know.”

“I want to be Spider-Man,” Damian said with some conviction.

“Okay,” Bruce responded. “Spider-Man it is.”

***********************

By the time they began trick-or-treating, Clark was already tired from the nearly two-hours he had had to sit still while Bruce applied professional grade zombie makeup to his face. The only thing Clark could get Bruce to agree to dress as was a pair of zombies. And naturally the makeup had to be perfect. Bruce wouldn’t settle for the kind of Halloween makeup they sold at the party store. This was a heavy, itchy, vinyl thing that felt like a mask. He did his own makeup first and then did Clark’s… and it was hard for him to keep a straight face while there was a zombie staring critically at him and trying to make him look like he should have been on _The Walking Dead_.

Before they left the house, Alfred took a picture of them all together and Clark joked that Bruce could add it to his album. Clark was pretty sure that underneath the zombie makeup, the billionaire was probably blushing. Bruce did not find that funny.

Dick was dressed as a lion and he got compliments on his well-made costume and full mane at every house. Damian and Colin were Spider-Man and Venom respectively, and the pillowcases Dick had suggested they use in lieu of those little pumpkin pails got full quickly.

Bruce kept checking the time on his phone and Clark kept scolding him for breaking character. Bruce would roll his eyes, but tuck his phone back in his pocket every time. The night went well… no major catastrophes. But eventually, Bruce said, “We’re going to have to go home soon.”

Clark took his hand. “They’re having so much fun. Let them hit a few more houses… then we can go.”

“If anything happens, I’m going to have a tough time forgiving you,” Bruce said.

“I’m sure you mean that,” Clark replied.

“I do,” Bruce said with a nod.

Clark smiled. “You know, you don’t fool me. I know you better than that. You couldn’t stay mad at me. You love me too much.”

“You think so?” Bruce asked.

“I know so,” Clark said with a smile. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did happen to hear you tell Damian how you want me to be around from here on out. But you don’t need any luck for that. I’m not going anywhere.”

Bruce sighed. “You see, this is why I refrain from saying nice things about you. You’re always listening.”

“I’m pretty sure you meant to say that you only say nice things about me when you can be sure that I _am_ listening,” Clark said with a smile.

“Same difference,” he said with a sigh, pulling one of Alfred’s festive printed cellophane wrapped popcorn balls from his pocket. He offered Clark half, and they ate it slowly, walking several paces behind the boys and holding hands.

****************************

Before patrol that evening, Bruce had one little thing he wanted to do before he left. He printed two copies of the picture Alfred had taken of them before they left that evening. One he added to his photo album (the one Clark had seen – it was for Halloween pictures only… he had several others that corresponded to other holidays and occasions hidden in the closet). The other copy, he stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet. He was planning to tell everyone that Alfred must have put it there, but when he turned around, Clark was standing there, smiling softly.

“You’re so sentimental,” he said.

“Shut up, you jerk,” Bruce replied. But he smiled when he said it, so Clark didn’t mind.


End file.
